Preacher or Bust (Part 1)
I recently have been given the opportunity to preach at the church that I am currently serving at as a part-time worship pastor. The day is quickly approaching where I will stand in front of the congregation and share truth. Let me back up a little. I must admit that I have wrestled with the idea of being "called" to preach for a year or two now. The pastor of the church where I lead worship is going to be out for the whole of June to work on his doctorate so other pastors will be filling in during his absense. I am very new to the church but was still asked to preach on one of these Sundays. Those of you who know me well, which is just about everyone who reads this blog, know that I am a pretty vocal person when it comes to subjects like the Gospel, Church and Conversion. However, I have noticed a few things while preparing for the day that I would not otherwise give so much attention to.
First I have had an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Since I unfortunately struggle with pride quite a bit I have never struggled with much of this feeling in my life. Strangely I don't feel inadequate to share truth with someone over coffee or dinner, but when I step on what seems to be the Holy Ground that the pulpit stands on I suddenly am overtaken with the reality of the great responsibility bore by pastors to share un-hindered truth to the "children" of God. I do not think the words of James have ever sounded sharper in my ears and heart.
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. – James 3:1
Second, I have had an overwhelming sense of my depravity. I am sure that part of it is an attack from the evil one, but mostly I believe that I again see the responsibility that comes with being a preacher and that "my house must be in order and I must be above reproach." Surely no pastor in history was or is as much a sinner as I! How dare I stand in the pulpit but for the blood of Christ that shows me blameless in His sight.
Last but not least I am seeing for the first time how easy it is to fall into preaching "the easy stuff". I have been frustrated in the past with the "watered down" sermons that I have heard over the years in many churches. I always assumed the hard part about preaching a meaty sermon was the criticism that would inevitably follow. However, in preparing for the sermon I will preach I immediately struggled with the amount of work and prayer that goes into sharing a hearty sermon v a milky one. It is easy to preach on marriage if you have a good one. It is easy to speak about addiction if you don't struggle with it. It is easy to share the Gospel if it is Easter. It is much harder however to prepare and preach on things like pre-destination, attributes of God, sactification, justification and repentance. In fact I think the hardest things to preach on is the Gospel. Not because we don't know that foundational issues of it, but because it is hard to wrap our finite minds around the concept of a Holy God crushing His Holy, blameless son on a cross for anything or anyone, especially people like us.
I am praying through the inadequacy and the sense of depravity, and I am preparing as much as I can to share the Truth that so quickly offends in today's churches. I am praying that in my hope to share a "powerful" sermon that I remember that the only power in it will come from the Holy Spirit and not from me or my efforts. This is part one of this post and part two will come soon after this sinner is used for God's plan on that day.
First I have had an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Since I unfortunately struggle with pride quite a bit I have never struggled with much of this feeling in my life. Strangely I don't feel inadequate to share truth with someone over coffee or dinner, but when I step on what seems to be the Holy Ground that the pulpit stands on I suddenly am overtaken with the reality of the great responsibility bore by pastors to share un-hindered truth to the "children" of God. I do not think the words of James have ever sounded sharper in my ears and heart.
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. – James 3:1
Second, I have had an overwhelming sense of my depravity. I am sure that part of it is an attack from the evil one, but mostly I believe that I again see the responsibility that comes with being a preacher and that "my house must be in order and I must be above reproach." Surely no pastor in history was or is as much a sinner as I! How dare I stand in the pulpit but for the blood of Christ that shows me blameless in His sight.
Last but not least I am seeing for the first time how easy it is to fall into preaching "the easy stuff". I have been frustrated in the past with the "watered down" sermons that I have heard over the years in many churches. I always assumed the hard part about preaching a meaty sermon was the criticism that would inevitably follow. However, in preparing for the sermon I will preach I immediately struggled with the amount of work and prayer that goes into sharing a hearty sermon v a milky one. It is easy to preach on marriage if you have a good one. It is easy to speak about addiction if you don't struggle with it. It is easy to share the Gospel if it is Easter. It is much harder however to prepare and preach on things like pre-destination, attributes of God, sactification, justification and repentance. In fact I think the hardest things to preach on is the Gospel. Not because we don't know that foundational issues of it, but because it is hard to wrap our finite minds around the concept of a Holy God crushing His Holy, blameless son on a cross for anything or anyone, especially people like us.
I am praying through the inadequacy and the sense of depravity, and I am preparing as much as I can to share the Truth that so quickly offends in today's churches. I am praying that in my hope to share a "powerful" sermon that I remember that the only power in it will come from the Holy Spirit and not from me or my efforts. This is part one of this post and part two will come soon after this sinner is used for God's plan on that day.
Comments
Second, yes preachers are held to a level of accountability because of their position, but all Christians are called to live their best lives, holy and pleasing to the Lord. Don't let a platform make you feel like you have to do more, let God's standards for all of His people be your motivation.
Third, preach the word brother. Don't give in to saying what they want to hear, but what God has already said in His word. If you stay close to the Scriptures, you won't have to say something bold- God has already said it.
I'll be praying for you and look forward to your next post.
Soft words make hard people and hard words make soft people.
The cross of Christ is offensive and unless it is occasionally presented in an offensive way then we are not proclaiming the whole gospel.
Mark Driscoll
(to senior pastors at the Desiring God conference)
You don’t help your people by soft peddling the gospel
Have you soft sold the message in order to hold on to people and in doing so robbed everyone who sits in front of you?
Matt Chandler